Writing-machine for the blind



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. PERKINS.

WRITING MACHINE FOR THE BLIND. No. 329,675. Patented Nov. 3 1885.

WITNESSES: 3 INVENTOR: W W

(N0 Mddel.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. W. H. PERKINS.

WRITING MACHINE FOR THE BLIND.

No. 329,675. Patented Nov. 3, 1885.

1/ Ah A i; al.

WITNESSES: R

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERs PhohrLilhogruphar. Washinglcn. D. c.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

W. H. PERKINS.

WRITING MACHINE FOR THE BLIND.

No. 329,675. Patented N v. 3, 1885.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

l n; PETERS. Photo-lithogra h Washington, 0 c.

VILLIAM H. PERKINS, OF OWVENSBOROUGH, KENTUCKY.

WRITING-MACHINE FOR THE BLIND.

EPEQ ZEEGATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,675, datedNovember 3, 1885.

Application filed August 2, 1884.

T0 (ZZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAMH. PERKINS, of Owensborough, in the countyof Daviess and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and ImprovedWriting-Machine for the Blind, of which the following is a full, clear,and ex; act description.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved writing-machine forthe blind, whereby writing in embossed characters by puncturing sheetsof paper may be performed much more expeditiously than can be done withthe usual hand-slate and stiletto and whereby, also, the embossedcharacters will be formed in the order in which they are read and inaccordance with the code of characters usually employed.

The invention consists of the sundry combinations of parts and theirconstruction, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and pointedout in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan View of my improved writing -machine with partsbroken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation taken on the line 0000*, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a like view taken on the line y Fig. 1; and Fig.4 is a rear elevation, partly broken away and with the case in section.

The letter A indicates a suitable case, in which most of the mechanismof the machine is contained. The case has no cover, and has a forwardextension, A, at the base, in or on which the operating-keys of themachine are arranged, as hereinafter described.

The letters 13 B B 13* indicate flat bars, which are pivoted at each endto the end frames, B B, on pins I), which are placed next the forwardedges of the bars, so that when the bars are rocked on their pivots theback edges of the bars will rise and fall. Tie-rods 5' connect the endframes, B B, with each other. The bars B B B" 13* are arrangedsuccessively below and behind each other, so that the back edges of thebars may engage notches 0 made in the front edges of the lower backportions, 0, of the arms 0 0* 0 0*, and so that the bars B B B 13*engage, respectively, the arms 0 Serial No. 139,479. (No model.)

0 0 0*, these arms being mounted side by side on a rod, D, which rangesalong the front of the case. The forward ends of the arms 0 0 0 0* areheld between the flanges or arms 6 e of a plate or yoke, E, said arms 06 being bored to pass upon the rod D,and so that when the yoke E ismoved along either Way on the rod Dthe four-arms 0'0 0 0* will becarried with the yoke, while the notches c of the arms will remainalways in engagement with their respective bars B B B 13*.

Tothe upper back portions, 0 of the arms 0 0 0 0* are secured,respectively, the stems or shanks f of the writing-needles or stilettosF F F F, and the stems f of the needles are bent to permit the needlesto be grouped together, so that their points shall be arranged in theform of a square, as represented in Fig. l. The respective bars B 13 B13* have keyrods G G G 0* fixed to them, and these keyrods are bent soas to range about in line to pass between the opposite sides of theendless chain H, which passes over opposite chainwheels, I J, mounted,respectively, at the ends of the frame, and to which chain the yoke E isfastened, so that as the chain is carried along by the wheels 1 J theneedle-carrying arms 0 0 0 0* will be moved to the right or left alongthe rod D. The key-rods G G G 0*, after passing between the sides of thechain H, extend forward within the extension A of the case, and upwardthrough holes a thereof, to come by their ends 9 beneath the back endsof the four keys K K K K, which are pivoted on pins 70 at their frontends, and so that when either of the keys K K K K* is pressed down acorresponding needle, F, F, F or F*, Will be raised, and springs L,connecting each keyrod with the case, will draw the raised needlepointsback again beneath the top of the needle-plate N, and lift the depresscd key or keys, ready for the next action.

M is a bar, which is fixed to the opposite end frames, B, to serve as aguide to the sliding needle plate N, which has the fourrectangularly-arranged vertical holes 1 2 3 at, through which holes theneedles F F F F*, respectively, pass. The needle F, connected to the keyK, passes through the hole 1. The needle F connected to the key K passesthrough the hole 2. The needle F, connected to the key K passes throughthe hole 3, and the needle F connected to the key K. passes through thehole 4. I have shown the ne'edle-plateN held to slide along the bar M bymeans of a sliding clip-plate, N, which has flanges bent down or intoopposite grooves, m, of the bar; but any desired means of holding theneedle-plate to the bar which will permit the plate to slide either waywith the needlewarrying arms and needles may be employed. It is notessential that the keys should operate the needles in.

the precise order described, as any one of the keys may be made tooperate any one of the needles; but the arrangement shown is preferred.The chain-wheel J is journaled on a pin or stud fixed to a bracket-arin,j, secured to one of the end frames, B, and the opposite chain-wheel, I,is journaled in arms i 2', fixed to the other end frame, '13. The shaftof the Wheel I carries fixedly the ratchet-wheel O, the teeth of whichmay be engaged by a pawl, P, which is pivoted to the inner end of alever, Q. and is forced inward to the ratchetteeth by a spring, 19. Thelever Q is mounted loosely on one of the frame tie-bars b, or anysuitable stud fixed in the frame, and the outer armof the leverpasses'forward into the extension A of the case and up through it andreceives a button or head, q, for operating it. As the head q of thelever Q is pressed down, the pawl Jr will move the ratchet-wheel O thespace of one tooth,which will carry the chainwheel 1, chain H, and theyoke and connected needle-arins and needles to the right hand for adistance a little greater than the length of one side of the squareoutlined by the needlepoints,to carry the needles forward to formthenext character on any given line of characters bypuncturing the paperheld over the points of the needles, as hereinafter explained. An arm,R, is fixed to the end frame, B, so as to project by its shoulder ragainst the side of the pawl P which faces the ratchet-wheel,

and so that when the head q of the lever Q is raised above its normalposition the pawl P will be forced away from the teeth of theratchet-wheel O to allow the chain-wheel to turn back as the chain andyokeE and needles connected to it are run back from the right ofthemachine after one line of writing is completed to the extremeleft of themachine to begin the next line. To effect this movement, 1 have placedloosely on the rod D, and at the right of the yoke E, the collar S,which has a handle, S, extending forward through a horizontal slo't, Ain the front ofthe case A, so that the handle may be grasped by theoperator and slid to the left to carry the yoke, needles, and chain withit when the pawl P is disengaged from the ratchet-wheel. An arm fixed tothe yoke E may be provided instead of the loose collar and handle S S,if desired. A spring, Q, connecting the lever Q to the case, keeps thelever in normal position, so that its head may be moved either up ordown, as above described.

V. (See Fig. 2.)

For holding the paper above the puncturing-needles F Ff F F?, I providea frame, T, which consists of end bars, tt, afront handlebar, T, a baror plate, U, and a roller, V. Thisframe T is hinged by a rod, orsuitable pins to lugs, 1) on the end frames, B B, so that the frame Tmay be swung back on its hinges to place the sheet WV of paper acrossthe top ofthe'needle-plate N andabove a bedroiler,V, which isjournaledin the end frames, so as to revolve with its periphery about on a levelwith the top of the needle-plate. When the frame T is swung overforward, its roller V will clamp the paper down up" n the roller The baror plate Uof the frame T is provided with parallel grooves a a, whichrange above the back and front pairs of needles, FF F F*, respectively,and allow the needles to pass up clear through the paper, whilepreventing too great movement of the needles. On one end journal orgudgeon o of the roller V, I fasten, by a key or otherwise, theratchet-wheel X, having teeth or, engaged by a pawl, Y, which is pivotedat y to the inner end of a lever, Z, which is pivoted on the end frame,B, at z, and projects through an opening, A in the front of the case A.A spring, y, holds the pawl Y to the ratchetwheel, and the inner end ofthe lever Z may be weighted, as at z, to carry the pawl down again afterit is lifted to move the ratchetwheel the distance of one tooth. Theteeth as of the ratchet-wheel may have any desired length. according tothe space to be left between the lines of writing. A stop, z' on the endframe limits the downswing of the inner end of the lever Z when the endof the pawl Y has passed below the shoulder of the tooth 00 next to beacted on by the pawl.

To secure a better understanding of the operation and advantages of myinvention, 1 give a brief description of the ordinary writingslate forthe blind, as follows: Said slate has a frame,on which the paper islaid, and a brass plate about one inch wide may be held in successivelylower positions over the paper by pins entering the frame at each side.This brass plate has rows-three generally-of square cells or aperturesformed through it, in the corners of which cells a stiletto is guided topierce the paper, the point of the stiletto vpassing into grooves in aplate which is hinged tothe frame, so as to fold flat upon the back ofthe paper. The different combinations of the four holes which may bemade through the paper by the stiletto in accordance with an understoodcode represent the characters of the writing which appear in embossed orraised edges at the other side of the paper from which the stilettoworks, the characters being read by the sense of touch. In this oldstyle of slate the paper is pierced from the top and the charactersappear at the back of the paper,and the writing must be done backward;or, in other words, to be read from left to right it must be writtenfrom right to left.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: The square ofneedles being at the extreme left of'the machine, the frame T is swungbackward on its hinges at t, as in Fig. l. The sheet W of paper now islaid on the needle-plate N and over the bed-roller V, the paper-whichmay be of any size within the capacity of the machine-being also placedat the extreme left-hand end of the machine. The frame T now is swungforward to clamp the paper between the rollers V V, and the keys at thefront of the machine are pressed down to operate the proper needleswhich pass upward in forming the character and into the grooves a a ofthe bar U. \Vhen the first character is formed, the head q of lever Q,will be pressed downward, which causes the pawl P to move theratchet-wheel O the space of one tooth, and carries the needles to theright, ready to again be forced upward through the paper for forming thenext character; and these alternate shifting and puncturing actions ofthe needles will be continued entirely across the sheet of paper tocomplete the first line of characters, whichhaving been done, the leverQ will be raised to disengage the pawl P from the ratchetwheel O, andthe lever or handle S will be moved to the left to carry the chain H,yoke E, and the needle-arms and needles back again to the extreme leftof the machine, ready to print a second line of characters below thefirst line when the paper shall have been moved backward the requireddistance, which is done by pressing down the lever Z, and moving thebed-roller V around by means of the pawl Y and ratchet'wheel X, thepaper being carried backward the required distance by the rollers V V.The needles may now be operated by the keys as at first, and the writingmay be produced in successive lines of perforated embossedcharacters,which ap pear on the upper face of the paper in the order inwhich they are to be read.

It is evident that with my improved machine the writing may be producedby one hand only, leaving the other free to read the raised perforatedcharacters, which may be copied as read by the use of the maehine,andthe writing will be produced very much faster than by the use of theslate method, which requires the use of both hands, one to feel for thecells and to position the stiletto, which is worked by the other hand.

The square of needle-points in my improved machine corresponds preciselywith the four corners of the cells of the common slate method; hence thewriting is produced in accordance with the same code of characters.Should more than the four points be used for any given character, thesquare of needles will be moved twice to the right in forming thecharacter, as will readily be understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters 3 Patent, is

1. In awriting-machine, the combination,

with the vertically-movable puncturers or rice dles, of the steppedlevers provided with arms having movement upon a support near theirforward ends, and adjusted in a carriage connected to an endlesstraveling belt, together with means, substantially as described, foractuating the said levers and belt, substantialy as and for the purposeset forth.

2. The combination, with the needles arranged,substantially asdescribed, to have independent vertical movement, of mechanism,substantially as described, for operating the needles, a toothed wheeland chain, and connections, substantially as described, for moving theseries of needles transversely, substantially as set forth.

3. The combinatiomwith a series of needles connected to independentrocking arms fitted to slide transversely, of independent pivoted barsor plates engaging said arms, and means, substantially as described, forrocking them to cause the needles to puncture the paper, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination, with a series of needles arranged in the form of asquare,of independent rocking arms fitted to slide transversely, andindependent rocking bars or plates engaging said arms, and connected byrods or stems with a series of keys for raising the needles to puncturethe paper from the under side, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a series of needles arranged in the form of asquare and connected to independent rocking arms fitted to slidetransversely of said arms, ofindependent rocl ing bars or platesengaging said arms, means, substantially as described, for rocking themto raise the needles, and a plate apertured for the passage of theneedle-points and fitted to slide with the needle-arms, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination, with a group of needles arranged in the form of asquare and connected to independent rocking arms fitted to slidetransversely of said arms, of independent pivoted bars or platesengaging said arms, means, substantially as described, for rocking themto raise the needles, a plate apertured for the passage of theneedle-points and fitted to slide with the needle-arms and needles, anda bar or plate held above and in the path of the needles, and providedwith grooves into which the needlepoints pass in puncturing the paper,substantially as described.

7. The combination of the pivoted rocking bars B B B B, the needle-armsO O G (3*, carrying the group of needles F F F F, and mounted to slideon a rod or bar and adapted to be lifted by the rocking bars, and aneedle guide-plate, N, fitted to slide along a bar, M, substantially asshown and described.

8. The combination, with the needle-arms O G O C, carrying the group ofneedles and fitted to slide on a bar, D, of the rocking bars B B B B,engaging notches or shoulders of the needlearms, a series of buttons orkeys for scribed.

actuating the needles, and the rods or stems G G G3 G, connecting therocking bars with the keys, substantially as shown and de 9. Thecombination, with the group of needles F F F F, fitted to sliding androcking arms 0 O G O", as specified, of the guideplate N, apertured'forthe passage of the needles and fitted to slide along the bar M,substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination, with the group of needles F F F F, held in rockingarms 0 G 0 G which slide on a bar, D, and are actuated by the rockingbars B B B B respecttively, and the apertured needle guide-plate N,fitted to slide on a bar, M, as specified, of a bar, U, held above theneedleplate and having the'grooves u u in its under side above thepoints of the needles, substantially as shown and described.

1]. The combination, with the needle-arms G O C O, carrying the group ofneedles and scribed.

12. The combination, with the needle-arms 0 C C O O, carrying the groupof needles and fitted to slide on the bar D, of the yoke E, endlesschain H, wheels I J, ratchet wheel 0,

pawl P, and the lever Q, substantially as shown ancldescribed.

- 13. The combination, with the needle-arms C C O 0 held on a bar, D,Within a yoke, E, fixed to the endless chain H, wheels I J, and theratchet-Wheel O, pawl P, and lever Q, ofthearm R, having the shoulder1', and means, substantially as described,for sliding the yoke andneedle-arms back to the initial position, substantially as shown anddescribed.

14:. The combination, with the needle-arms O C O 0, held on abar, D,within ayoke, E, fixed to the endless chain'H, wheels I J, theratchet-wheelO, pawl P, lever Q, and arm R, of the lever or arm S,adaptedto move the yoke and'needle-arms, substantially as shown anddescribed.

15. -In a writing-machine, the combination, with the vertically andtransversely movable needles, of the bar disposed above the needles andhaving grooves in its under side in the .path of the needle-points,substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. I

' 'hi- WILLIAM 5 -H. PERKINS. I (1 k. 7 v Attest: E. G. BUOIENER.

Witnesses:

JOHN MOORMAN, I JNO. WEIR.

